Religion

Question 1

‘Nature then…/ to me was all in all’

Answer 1

Praises nature for possessing attributes which previously were reserved for God alone

Question 2

What does nature exemplify in ‘Tintern Abbey’

Answer 2

god’s attributes of omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence

Question 3

Omnipresence quote

Answer 3

‘Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns’ which also ‘rolled through all things’

Question 4

‘Whose selling is the light of setting sons’

Answer 4

Nature lives in all things, Wordsworth boldly states nature is capable of being the ‘guide, the guardian of my heart and soul’
- declaring nature directs the lives of every human being

Question 5

While this omnipresence can not be

Answer 5

Escaped it is not an oppressive thing but rather a comfort

Question 6

Who alludes to Gods omnipresence?

Answer 6

King David in Psalm 91 when he says those who dwell in saftey ‘abide under the shadow of the almighty’

Question 7

What do atmospheric elements like ‘living air’ mean

Answer 7

Because nature demonstrates its omnipresence it leaves no room for Gods supremacy

Question 8

What does nature appear to be in Tintern Abbey?

Answer 8

The greatest sage and omniscient rather than God being the wisest

Question 9

Psalm 139:4

Answer 9

Declares God to be the greatest source of knowledge

Question 10

Who does Wordsworth cry out to during the poem?

Answer 10

The spirit of nature to listen to his thoughts and answer his questions

• ‘o sylvan Wye! Thou wanderer thro’
• poet glorifies the river Wye and declares it answers questions about life

Question 11

What does Wordsworth praise nature for

Answer 11

Possessing knowledge from days of old instead of giving God the glory for creating humans with a mind to see and hear and nature

Question 12

What does Wordsworth believe

Answer 12

That nature’s supernatural intellect can teach man how to live a spiritual life because of its omniscience

Question 13

How does nature display a power which supplants God’s omnipotence?

Answer 13

The tall mountains and ‘sounding cataract’ emphasise the force which nature exemplifies
- power of nature ‘ impels all thinking things, all objects of thought’ with it’a driving force

Question 14

What does nature suppress?

Answer 14

The power of God to reign in the hearts and minds of men by placing its own mystifying control upon them, drawing them to worship the created instead of the creator

Question 15

Which religions were prevalent during Wordsworth’s time?

Answer 15

Pantheism and paganism

- Wordsworth brings these two religions into one

Question 16

What religion does Wordsworth create?

Answer 16

One that honours mortal nature

Question 17

What does Wordsworth do through looking at nature from this perspective?

Answer 17

Alters the course of time and instills knowledge of himself in the hearts of man

Question 18

What was he accused for?

Answer 18

Not distinguishing between nature as the work of God and God himself

Question 19

What did he write in the preface to defend himself?

Answer 19

He wrote that his phrase was a ‘passionate expression uttered in cautiously’ didn’t actually change the phrase or edit his poem